‘Uncharted’ and ‘The Last of Us’ Influenced ’10 Cloverfield Lane’

In an interview with IGN, 10 Cloverfield Lane director, Dan Trachtenberg, spoke of how video games influenced the direction of the film. Specifically referencing Uncharted and The Last of Us, Trachtenberg said to make the movie feel as “subjective” as the first, without doing found-footage, and “less like something being watched” he “turned to video games for inspiration.” He wanted the movie to be more of an experience. To achieve that he paid close attention to the design of third-person action games that allow for just as much of a subjective experience as first-person shooters. In borrowing design elements from those games, even though it was shot in a “traditional filmmaking style,” the viewer should be able to vicariously experience what the protagonist does and feel as if they have been placed in her shoes.

Additionally, Trachtenberg mentioned what he believes J.J. Abrams’ plans are for the Cloverfield franchise. It could exist as a platform with unique stories told in each film, but still have connections creep in that tie them all together — probably à la Bioshock and American Horror Story.